ALEX McLeish will appeal against Chris Herd’s controversial red card in Ason Villa’s derby defeat to West Brom after studying replays of the alleged stamping offence from all available angles.

McLeish was fuming when referee Phil Dowd sent off Herd 36 minutes into Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat after assistant Darren Cann decided he deliberately trod on Albion defender Jonas Olsson.

Herd will receive a three-match ban for violent conduct if the decision is upheld and the utility player would miss the trips to Sunderland and Tottenham either side of Norwich’s visit to Villa Park.

But McLeish is confident of having the red card rescinded after seeing re-runs of the supposed offence from a variety of different camera positions on Saturday evening.

“I spoke to Phil,” said McLeish. “He will look at it again. We will see what the outcome is of the re-runs.

“The slow-motion one indicated that Chris was extricating his foot from Olsson’s grasp. I just could not see a stamp in that situation.

“Phil never saw it. He never saw Olsson’s punch on Chris’s shoulder. It’s difficult for a referee to see everything but the linesman saw the alleged stamp.

“I didn’t see Olsson rearing up like a big wounded animal. He’s a big warrior, the guy, I’m sure he would have been aggrieved at something like that.

“But he didn’t seem to react, it looked as if he was just stopping Chris making a quick getaway.”

McLeish admits Villa’s players and fans must try to develop a siege mentality to help the team come through periods of adversity.

“You have got to believe,” he said. “It’s about having that belief, these are the things we are building on with the squad and some of the players. This mental strength is vital at the top level.

“To play for Villa, to come to this club they have got that mental strength, but it’s building on it.

“It’s being tougher, having the right body language on the pitch, it’s about showing the crowd, the management and the side that you are going to give your all.

“You have got to impress upon them that you have to have that togetherness. We need the Villa fans to get right behind the team.

“There’s no reason why we can’t pick up results, but there’s certain areas where we’ve got to improve. In a couple of positions since the start of the season we haven’t quite done as much as we could have done.”

McLeish was at odds with Roy Hodgson over a first-half tackle from Alan Hutton on Shane Long, which the Baggies boss felt deserved a red card, but went unpunished by the referee.

“I was the far side,” said McLeish. “I have seen it on the video.

“Shane Long was maybe favourite to get it but I thought Hutton has gone for the ball. He’s collided on the follow-through and that’s what’s injured Shane Long.

“Was it a savage tackle? I don’t think it was. In the penalty box, we see them 100 times and unfortunately Shane got injured.

“Not everyone gets injured with those challenges. I understand what the argument will be, it will be that he’s got the ball and followed through and collided with the player but how can you stop in mid-air?”